Rare Ice Age Cave Bear Skeleton

- Item No.

Key Features

This magnificent Ice Age cave bear skeleton is a fearsome relic of prehistoric times

Over eight feet tall, the skeleton is beautifully preserved, from the huge skull to the sharp claws

Cave bears were the largest of all bears and occupied almost the entire European continent

Circa 150,000 B.C.E.

97 1/2" high

Item Details

Height:
97 1/2 Inches

Period:
Pre-18th Century

Origin:
Other

This extraordinary Ice Age cave bear skeleton, believed to be from the species Ursus spelaeus, is an incredible relic of prehistoric times. Measuring over eight feet tall, this enormous bear almost certainly hailed from the Ural Mountains of Russia and was one of the most fearsome land animals of the Pleistocene Age. The largest of all the great bears, this now-extinct species was both worshipped and hunted by prehistoric man. Mounted in the attack position, this beautifully preserved skeleton perfectly conveys the incredible size and massive strength of this animal.

Cave bear skeletons were first described in 1774 by Johann Friederich Esper in his book Newly Discovered Zoolites of Unknown Four Footed Animals. The largest of all the great bears, the cave bear is believed to have been both an object of worship and the chief animal hunted by prehistoric man. Caves once inhabited by Neanderthals have been found containing cave bear skulls set upon rock altars and arranged in formations, often joined by carefully placed teeth and bones. As most of the relics from these caves have been removed, to find a skeleton in such excellent condition is extremely rare.

Circa 150,000 B.C.E.

97 1/2" high

Enormous cave bears once inhabited an area that stretched across Europe, from Spain to Eurasia, from the North Sea to Romania, with the majority concentrated in Central and Eastern European mountain chains. The largest numbers of cave bear remains have been found in Austria, Switzerland, southern Germany, northern Italy, northern Spain, Croatia, Hungary and Romania.

Cave bear longevity is unknown, though it has been estimated that they seldom exceeded 20 years of age. Though it seems that the cave bear would be a dangerous predator, they were mostly herbivorous, and it is believed that they were the first of the large land mammals to die out. It is also thought that the cave bears' demise was aided by competition for food and shelter by a simultaneous existence with the brown bear.